Pre-Law Newsletter

Pre-Law Newsletter
February 1986
From the campus pre-law advisor
This newsletter is an attempt on my part to better inform students who are thinking about going to law school. It is directed both to students who are contemplating the possibility of legal education some time in the future and to students who will apply to law schools this winter. This issue is structured around admissions questions that students ask most often. Other issues will deal with pre-law curriculum and legal career option questions. I hope you take the time to read through the newsletter and to join some of the activities scheduled for students interested in law. If you have any questions about preparing for or applying to law school, please call or visit me. My office is Classroom-Medical 219, and my phone number is 482-5321. Because my office hours are limited and I usually have several students desiring to talk to me, you will receive more immediate attention if you schedule an appointment in advance. Georgia Wralstad Ulmschneider
What are current enrollment trends for law schools?
The Chronicle of Higher Education recently reported a downturn in applicant volume and enrollment in law schools. This trend appeared to affect even the most prestigious law schools. Law school enrollments dropped last year (1983-84) for the first time since 1968, and applications for this year's entering class fell between 10 and 20 percent. This downward trend in law school applications and enrollments is expected to continue for several years. As a result of this downward trend, there may be significant changes in law school recruitment in the near future. Recruitment efforts on the part of law schools will probably intensify, and there is already evidence this is happening. The Law School Admissions Council and the Law School Admissions Service, for the first time, sponsored three recruitment forums this fall in major cities across the country. Also, law school recruitment officers appear more receptive to visiting campuses to talk with prospective students. This development may enhance the possibility of future contact between IPFW students and recruitment officers. In addition it has been predicted that this downward trend in enrollments may benefit students who score in the 35 range on the LSAT. These students may find they are candidates for admission to more law schools than in previous years.
How do you choose a law school?
Many students applying for law school fail to consider the differences in law schools when completing applications. Every law school and every potential law student are not necessarily right for one another. The Prelaw Handbook, official guide to American Bar Association approved law schools, notes that students can obtain excellent legal educations in a variety of settings. Therefore, students should select potential law schools on the basis of individual needs. These selection decisions will be difficult and will demand considerable care and thought. You should begin the process of choosing law schools with a self-assessment, an honest appraisal of your strengths and preferences. Some of the factors you should consider in your decisions are the size, composition, and background of the student body; the location, size and nature of the surrounding community; the range of library holdings; the strengths and interests of the faculty; the number and type of student organizations, the nature of the curriculum; the availability of special programs; the reputation of the institution; the cost of the program; and the availability of financial assistance. Remember, too, when selecting and applying to law schools, each year qualified students are rejected by all the schools to which they apply because they overestimate their qualifications and underestimate the competition. You can avoid this dilemma by applying to a mixture of schools, including some at which your chances of being accepted are good and some where admissions are more competitive. The Prelaw Handbook, available in Helmke Library, includes law school descriptions and LSAT/GPA profiles that may aid you in determining your admission chances at various law schools.
What is the Law School Assured Access Program?
The Law School Assured Access Program (LSAAP) is a loan program designed to assure access for law students to Guaranteed Student Loans (GSLS) and Auxiliary Loans to Assist Students (ALAS). The Law School Admissions Council and the Law School Admissions Services developed this program because of the concern over rising costs of legal education. According to the Division of Communication of the American Bar Association, law school tuition for full-time students in 1981 averaged about $1,200 a year at public-supported schools and $5,800 a year at private law schools. In addition to tuition costs, there are also books and supplies, travel, rent, and food expenses. LSAAP is offered as a complement to existing loan programs established by state agencies and others. Available to law students who are enrolled or admitted to enrollment at a law school that is a member of the Law School Admissions Council, LSAAP allows qualified students to borrow as much as $8,000 per year. Loans under this program are offered at below-market interest rates and can be used for any reasonable costs of legal education including tuition, room and board, and books and supplies. Loan repayment need not be made until after a student leaves law school, and the total repayment time is generally between five and ten years. Further information about the Law School Assured Access Program may be obtained by contacting a law school financial aid officer or by writing the program--Law School Assured Access Program, Law School Admissions Services, Box 2500, Newtown, PA 18940.
Announcements
I have developed a pre-law library which is located in my office, Classroom-Medical 219. It contains a large number of law school catalogs; books on the legal profession, legal education and legal careers; and pamphlets and advisory handouts on letters of recommendation and other admissions procedures. The library may be used during my office hours. Again, because my office hours are limited and I usually have several students desiring to talk to me or use the library, please schedule an appointment in advance. I'll keep in touch with announcements and flyers about pre-law events, programs, and information. For the latest news, pay special attention to the pre-law/paralegal studies bulletin board next to Classroom-Medical 212.

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Pre-Law Newsletter
February 1986
From the campus pre-law advisor
This newsletter is an attempt on my part to better inform students who are thinking about going to law school. It is directed both to students who are contemplating the possibility of legal education some time in the future and to students who will apply to law schools this winter. This issue is structured around admissions questions that students ask most often. Other issues will deal with pre-law curriculum and legal career option questions. I hope you take the time to read through the newsletter and to join some of the activities scheduled for students interested in law. If you have any questions about preparing for or applying to law school, please call or visit me. My office is Classroom-Medical 219, and my phone number is 482-5321. Because my office hours are limited and I usually have several students desiring to talk to me, you will receive more immediate attention if you schedule an appointment in advance. Georgia Wralstad Ulmschneider
What are current enrollment trends for law schools?
The Chronicle of Higher Education recently reported a downturn in applicant volume and enrollment in law schools. This trend appeared to affect even the most prestigious law schools. Law school enrollments dropped last year (1983-84) for the first time since 1968, and applications for this year's entering class fell between 10 and 20 percent. This downward trend in law school applications and enrollments is expected to continue for several years. As a result of this downward trend, there may be significant changes in law school recruitment in the near future. Recruitment efforts on the part of law schools will probably intensify, and there is already evidence this is happening. The Law School Admissions Council and the Law School Admissions Service, for the first time, sponsored three recruitment forums this fall in major cities across the country. Also, law school recruitment officers appear more receptive to visiting campuses to talk with prospective students. This development may enhance the possibility of future contact between IPFW students and recruitment officers. In addition it has been predicted that this downward trend in enrollments may benefit students who score in the 35 range on the LSAT. These students may find they are candidates for admission to more law schools than in previous years.
How do you choose a law school?
Many students applying for law school fail to consider the differences in law schools when completing applications. Every law school and every potential law student are not necessarily right for one another. The Prelaw Handbook, official guide to American Bar Association approved law schools, notes that students can obtain excellent legal educations in a variety of settings. Therefore, students should select potential law schools on the basis of individual needs. These selection decisions will be difficult and will demand considerable care and thought. You should begin the process of choosing law schools with a self-assessment, an honest appraisal of your strengths and preferences. Some of the factors you should consider in your decisions are the size, composition, and background of the student body; the location, size and nature of the surrounding community; the range of library holdings; the strengths and interests of the faculty; the number and type of student organizations, the nature of the curriculum; the availability of special programs; the reputation of the institution; the cost of the program; and the availability of financial assistance. Remember, too, when selecting and applying to law schools, each year qualified students are rejected by all the schools to which they apply because they overestimate their qualifications and underestimate the competition. You can avoid this dilemma by applying to a mixture of schools, including some at which your chances of being accepted are good and some where admissions are more competitive. The Prelaw Handbook, available in Helmke Library, includes law school descriptions and LSAT/GPA profiles that may aid you in determining your admission chances at various law schools.
What is the Law School Assured Access Program?
The Law School Assured Access Program (LSAAP) is a loan program designed to assure access for law students to Guaranteed Student Loans (GSLS) and Auxiliary Loans to Assist Students (ALAS). The Law School Admissions Council and the Law School Admissions Services developed this program because of the concern over rising costs of legal education. According to the Division of Communication of the American Bar Association, law school tuition for full-time students in 1981 averaged about $1,200 a year at public-supported schools and $5,800 a year at private law schools. In addition to tuition costs, there are also books and supplies, travel, rent, and food expenses. LSAAP is offered as a complement to existing loan programs established by state agencies and others. Available to law students who are enrolled or admitted to enrollment at a law school that is a member of the Law School Admissions Council, LSAAP allows qualified students to borrow as much as $8,000 per year. Loans under this program are offered at below-market interest rates and can be used for any reasonable costs of legal education including tuition, room and board, and books and supplies. Loan repayment need not be made until after a student leaves law school, and the total repayment time is generally between five and ten years. Further information about the Law School Assured Access Program may be obtained by contacting a law school financial aid officer or by writing the program--Law School Assured Access Program, Law School Admissions Services, Box 2500, Newtown, PA 18940.
Announcements
I have developed a pre-law library which is located in my office, Classroom-Medical 219. It contains a large number of law school catalogs; books on the legal profession, legal education and legal careers; and pamphlets and advisory handouts on letters of recommendation and other admissions procedures. The library may be used during my office hours. Again, because my office hours are limited and I usually have several students desiring to talk to me or use the library, please schedule an appointment in advance. I'll keep in touch with announcements and flyers about pre-law events, programs, and information. For the latest news, pay special attention to the pre-law/paralegal studies bulletin board next to Classroom-Medical 212.